# Warning: Fuente Story 2011



## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

I believe everyone should try something once, but, I see it necessary to make a disclaimer about the 2011 rendition of the Fuente Story.

For those that don't know, each year Fuente puts out a four-pack of some of their rarer cigars in wood boxes. (It's also known as the Fuente Aged Selection)

Details:


> May 2011 Release of The Fuente Story
> 
> In commemoration of the 99th anniversary of Arturo Fuente Cigar Company, 1,912 boxes of the May 2011 release of The Fuente Story will be shipped to the authorized Fuente Aged Selection dealers worldwide.
> 
> ...


Here's the disclaimer.

You normally pay over what the "going rate" for these cigars is at the time. For example, MSRP on a Don Arturo Gran AniverXario is $60, price in Casa Fuente for the Al Siglo 13 (same cigar, less cool band) is $125; going rate on the secondary market is $30. Same thing with all of the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversarios, MSRP around $30, they will go for less than $20 pretty regularly
*THE GRAN ANIVERXARIOS ARE BAD.* I've smoked a lot of them recently, and wrote reviews this past week, the point is they are past their primes, a lot. They are _some of the worst Fuentes I've had_, and that's *before* we factor in the price. Flavor, draw, etc... it's not a good cigar, even for $10. It has a beautiful band, and will look great in a humidor, but if I took the band off and gave it to one of you, I would be *embarassed* at how bad of a cigar I was making one of you smoke.
Most of this stuff is not _"rare"_, it's just _"not easy to find."_ I promise, there is a distinction, there's not an abundnace of Gran AniverXarios, but there's a lot more than most would think, and a lot of them trading hands quite regularly. In addition, all the cigars, with the exception of the Natural version of the Don Arturo, are available at Casa Fuente, although prices are absurd. The Tauros The Bull, which isn't exactly the most-tauted Opus X ever made, isn't common, but there have been _enough_ limited releases of them at this point, that finding them is a lot easier than some of the other Opus sizes.

Like I said, I believe everyone should try something once. However, if you've _only_ got $175 to spend this month, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE. The Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario is a good cigar, but I'd rather buy a box of regular Don Carlos Robustos for the money.

For those that do order, while they may look great in your humidor, as the packaging on all of these cigar is outstanding, I really hope that those who buy, write reviews, because, there's a fairly legitimate argument that most of the Fuente "limited/rare"products (not Añejo or Opus, but Between the Lines, Hemingway Sungrown, Don Arturo, weird Opus sizes) are not very good. There are exceptions no doubt, but my experience says that Fuente's best stuff is the products most of us know about.

/rant


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

Rant all you'd like, but I reserve the right to disagree. I've smoked three of the Gran Aniverxario sungrowns, and adored every one. The most recent was 5 days ago. I think they've aged very well. They are smooth and flavorful, which are qualities I find highly desireable in a cigar. I haven't yet tried the natural wrapper on this cigar. Knowing my tastes, I would imagine I would enjoy it quite a bit.

I do agree with you on price. This set should be no more than $100. $175 is definitely too high. Remember though, they may be Fuente cigars, but this is a Prometheus product. You can expect _anything_ that comes from Prometheus to be over priced by _at least_ 50%, and usually much much more.


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## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

d_day said:


> Rant all you'd like, but I reserve the right to disagree. I've smoked three of the Gran Aniverxario sungrowns, and adored every one. The most recent was 5 days ago. I think they've aged very well. They are smooth and flavorful, which are qualities I find highly desireable in a cigar. I haven't yet tried the natural wrapper on this cigar. Knowing my tastes, I would imagine I would enjoy it quite a bit.
> 
> I do agree with you on price. This set should be no more than $100. $175 is definitely too high. Remember though, they may be Fuente cigars, but this is a Prometheus product. You can expect _anything_ that comes from Prometheus to be over priced by _at least_ 50%, and usually much much more.


Hmm... I acquired mine from a few different sources, maybe I'm doing something wrong.:der:

I asked around, and it seemed of those that have smoked these recently, the opinions weren't great.

My largest issue with the Sungrown was more the draw, which was consistently horrendous. Tried dry-boxing one the other day, that didn't help.

I believe some of this money goes to CFCF, but I'm not 100% sure, nor does that justify the pricing, neither does it being a Prometheus product, the reality is the Fuentes know where the pricing is, they let it be there, etc...


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

I couldn't say if you were doing something wrong or not. Like I said, I've only had three. The burn and draw were perfect on all of them for me. Could be I just got lucky.


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## fireface (Mar 20, 2011)

> However, if you've only got $175 to spend this month


I'm not sure whether I should be inspired or depressed by this phrase


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## Reino (Sep 13, 2010)

After reading this I find it quite disappointing especially since I love the Tauros the Bulls. I would love to have a 2007 to smoke. I imagine it at its peak or close to it. 
Thankfully I have 3 09's left to let rest a couple more years.
What a shame as I was looking so forward to adding this to the collection and smoking the cigars but to do it for 1 stick is not even an option. After reading several other posts about the Don's it seems there a lot of the same opinions.
As a Fuente fan it is still hard to say no to as to the appeal of it.

Hopefully the 100 year release next year will be a lot better.


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

Reading this is disappointing. I wouldn't have spent half my monthly budget on 4 sticks anyway but its frustrating when a special product seams to be throw together.


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

I had a Hemingway Sungrown at Casa Fuente a couple of months ago and thought it was just another cigar. I will say that the Between the Lines I just smoked did impress however. I went into it not expecting much because I had sold myself on the fact that it was all hype but in the end it left me wanting to enjoy another.

I view Fuentes a little bit like I do ccs. If the Opus X and Anejo and WOAM give me most of what I want in a cigar at a very fine price then I just don't find myself chasing the HTFs with exorbitant prices. I really enjoy the standard line ccs as well so I don't chase the LEs there either. Maybe I have it all wrong but so far it has worked for me.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Hear! Hear!

Get yourself a box of the regular AF SGs instead and you will be well pleased without having to sell your kids into slavery.

Otherwise, go the Oliva Serie Vs is my opinion.


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## boodeck (Jul 20, 2011)

I signed up for this post as i saw this posting. Question where are Don Carlos aniversarios readily avaliable? And especially for $20.00? And what counts as smoked alot? I only ask as I disagree I purchased the set in question and at MSRP for the grans $60.00 each plus $30.00 for the don and lets say $30.00 for the bull thats $180.00 and you get what is a nice little travel humidor. And I ask about the alot as I'm thinking of purchasing the set of 50 Grans that come out at the end of the year.


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## dav0 (Feb 7, 2011)

Back in June I picked up the 9 stick sampler of Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario and concur that they are good, but I paid too much.

Mine were 2006 and the wrapper seemed a bit fragile but not to the point where any issue related to the wrapper detracted from the expierence.

Thanks for the heads-up on the "Story" sampler, Charlie, as I was just looking at it in a B&M down in Delaware.

Did pick up a couple of Emillio AF1s while there and they are not bad.


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## boodeck (Jul 20, 2011)

Davo picked up the same sampler. Sorry but i got it as i was looking at getting a lighter and it so happened that same lighter was free with the sampler. So for an additional $160. I got the sampler. They are my personel favorites right now. Bought the box of 30 that was relaeased in 2007 smoked 1 a day before I deployed. Had the same issue with the wrapper in the 2007 set think it at sit a while but a couple days in proper humidity and they were wonderful


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## dav0 (Feb 7, 2011)

boodeck said:


> Davo picked up the same sampler. Sorry but i got it as i was looking at getting a lighter and it so happened that same lighter was free with the sampler. So for an additional $160. I got the sampler. They are my personel favorites right now. Bought the box of 30 that was relaeased in 2007 smoked 1 a day before I deployed. Had the same issue with the wrapper in the 2007 set think it at sit a while but a couple days in proper humidity and they were wonderful


I would say I'm jealous, but not at all since you are serving our country - they are/were much deserved by you, brother! But boy I wish I could afford that 30 ct. box. That box was actually a humidor, no?

I was just the opposite, actually had the B&M owner keep the lighter and subtract it's value from the package.


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## DuckFeet (Jun 14, 2011)

Since they are luxury items I do not strongly favor price when comparing cigars; however, I must respectfully disagree with the sentiment expressed in the second point of the disclaimer. Having smoked several of each cigar listed in the 2011 Fuente Story Gift Set, it is my _opinion _that each of them possesses the requisite hallmarks of an ultra-premium cigar of unsurpassed quality. Of course, all experience is subjective. My point is that they're worthy of a try.


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## boodeck (Jul 20, 2011)

dav0 said:


> I would say I'm jealous, but not at all since you are serving our country - they are/were much deserved by you, brother! But boy I wish I could afford that 30 ct. box. That box was actually a humidor, no?
> 
> I was just the opposite, actually had the B&M owner keep the lighter and subtract it's value from the package.


Yea it was a slightly lager then 75 count prometheus humidor. I did have to by the humidifier and hygrometer but it also came with a nice travel humidor. The humidor works great keeps perfect humidity its like just the right size for odd shaped cigars.


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## php007 (Sep 25, 2007)

To each his own, just one correction. The 13 is not the same as the Don Arturo Gran AniverXario, it's a totally different cigar. One more thing the pricing is set and controlled by Prothmeous not the Fuentes.


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## buckwylde (Jun 25, 2009)

sengjc said:


> Hear! Hear!
> 
> Get yourself a box of the regular AF SGs instead and you will be well pleased without having to sell your kids into slavery.
> 
> Otherwise, go the Oliva Serie Vs is my opinion.


I def agree af sun grown bellicoso are one of the best bang for your buck sticks, period.


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## triad47 (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks for the heads up duder.


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## Qball (Oct 5, 2009)

I disagree. 

I just lit up a Don Arturo Gran AniverXario from the May 2011 Fuente Story. It was exquisite. Perhaps yours were too fresh off the truck, not humidified properly, had traveled under questionable circumstances, or who knows.

I have smoked nearly every kind of Fuente and this was right up there as one of their top notch sticks!


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## Jemulz12 (Aug 16, 2011)

You said that these cigars are hard to find, but there are still many around. Where would someone like myself find some of these "harder to find" opus's?


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## UpInSmoak (Nov 26, 2011)

Jemulz12 said:


> You said that these cigars are hard to find, but there are still many around. Where would someone like myself find some of these "harder to find" opus's?


Famous-smokes has a Commemorative Opus sampler that has some rare sticks. Pretty pricey though. Here's a link. I'm not sure if I can post links as I'm still new, but I'll try.

Fuente Fuente OpusX For 2010 Cigar Sampler


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## loulax07 (Dec 17, 2011)

UpInSmoak said:


> Famous-smokes has a Commemorative Opus sampler that has some rare sticks. Pretty pricey though. Here's a link. I'm not sure if I can post links as I'm still new, but I'll try.
> 
> Fuente Fuente OpusX For 2010 Cigar Sampler


Wow, $43 per stick..... :shocked:


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## UpInSmoak (Nov 26, 2011)

Crazy expensive, right? I couldnt/wouldn't buy these. But to each their own.


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